For someone so damn nice, Tony Foresta has the most playfully, demonic laugh of anyone I’ve ever interviewed.

Chalk it up to pre-show energy, the recent release of their latest album “Fatal Feast” or the fact that Foresta is a nice guy and cool ass hell, the frontman for Municipal Waste answered a few questions about his band, thrash and advice for the new bloods in metal before his show at Vinyl Music Hall.

*** Tony Foresta Interview ***

MS: “Fatal Feast”, what does this new album mean for you?

TF: It’s our “space” album, so that means a lot. It’s our fifth record, so that’s kind of crazy. It means a lot personally because I would have never thought that eleven years ago we would have wrote five freaking albums of Municipal Waste. So the fact that we’re still carrying on and still putting out what I think is good records; it’s really cool. It’s good to be current and still working hard.

MS: With all the touring, crazy ass videos and shows, what’s the most amazing part of the whole Municipal Waste experience for you?

TF: It’s a different thing every time. The other night was amazing. We played this show that basically didn’t have a stage and there were like 400 people there and the stage was like a foot tall and the whole crowd was united together to not fall into us. So everybody was protecting us, but singing along at the same time. It was this big comradery and everybody was stoked and having a good time. I love that, shit like that. There’s always a surprise every tour we do, like something crazy or we don’t expect, happens. It’s something that I look forward to; going out every time, there’s something new. There’s always something to learn and experience.

MS: What’s the craziest shit you’ve ever seen at one of your shows?

TF: There’s a lot of crazy stuff. I can’t really just say one thing. I’ve seen people get caught on fire a couple of times. I got electrocuted one time and fell off the stage and almost broke my leg one time. You know, just weird shit like that. One time this girl was pulling her dress up and started peeing everywhere. That was pretty funny. She was really pretty too. Don’t know what the fuck she was doing. That was really weird.

MS: When I grew up, I listened to Suicidal Tendencies and Bad Brains and I loved metal. When will your metal, thrash metal get the due that it’s deserved?

TF: Well, I don’t know. It probably might not ever happen. I’m not really expecting it to happen and I’m definitely not going to bitch about it. But I’m happy where we are. I’m not stomping around going, “I’m not getting credit for something.” I just work hard, we all work hard; we work our butts off and I’m happy where I am. I think it’s amazing that I’m here in Pensacola playing a show. That people like my band enough to pay to see it. It would be cool if it got popular or if it was something like that. I’m happy. I think we’re doing alright. I don’t have any complaints. It’s hard to take seriously sometimes when you’re a band that has a sense a humor like we do. But I don’t give a fuck, I just keep trying to write the best songs that I can and if people like it, they like it. If critics and people don’t, then that’s their problem, I’m still having a good time.

MS: What was the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

TF: My buddy Steve that tours with Suicidal Tendencies helped (and) taught me warm up exercises to sing. That’s good advice, just like business advice, like when we were signing our record deal, Chris Adler from Lamb of God helped us out a lot with like advice, as far as, signing a contract, not getting screwed over. I don’t want to say anything to particular, but people like that have always helped us out and even any band starting out should always do that; just ask a lot of questions from people you know or just other bands. Even if you don’t know a band, write em’ and be like, “Hey, this is happening to us. What should we do?” a lot of older bands are willing to help younger bands because they can learn from their mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes; everybody fucks up somewhere down the line so it’s good to reach out to other bands and ask them, especially older ones that have been around the block.

MS: Who were the bands for you when you started?

TF: I get a lot of advice from GWAR. Those dudes have been around since the 80’s and they’re good friends. I learn a lot from them. There’s people that we’ve toured with a lot. Suicidal (Tendencies) They were really helpful. They were cool as fuck. It’s just the older guys. Scott Hull from Pig Destroyer, he helped us out back in the day when we had a lot of questions.

MS: When you mentioned GWAR, I talked to Dave Brockie a few months ago and he said the same thing, you just keep doing it…

TF: Yeah! Just put your head down and work your ass off. Sometime there are going to be bumps in the road and other times, it’s going to be a blast. It’s a hard job.

MS: What words of advice would you give to the young guys coming up?

TF: Just pace yourself in everything. Whether it’s drinking or booking tours or writing records or doing anything. Take your time and do it right. And don’t rush anything because that’s how a lot of stuff gets ruined. How’s that?

MS: Perfect. This is my last and craziest question; do you prefer crunchy or creamy peanut butter?

TF: Crunchy.

MS: Why so?

TF: Because I used to like creamy, but then I got into eating peanuts and stuff. Yeah. I like it crunchy. I like a lot of it. Sometimes I’ll just eat that shit by itself, like not on a sandwich. That’s an easy question.

– Michael L. Smith